Dehydrating process



May-15, 1945., M. SHOELD DEHYDRATING PROCESS Filed Oct. 15. 1942 I s Sheets-Sheet 1 I May 15, 1945. SHQELD 2,376,095

DEHYDRAT ING PROCES S Filed Oct. 15, 1942 s Sheets-Sheet 2 v gmmm l 704211 Sam-20 May I M. SHOELD 2,376,095

DEHYDRATING PROCESS Filed Oct. 15, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 15,

' Mark Shoeld, Baltimore, Md., assignor to The" giavison Chemical Corporation, Baltimore,

Application October 15, 1942, Serial No. 462,165

1 Claim.

This invention relates to' the dehydrationof moisture-containing materials and more particularly has reference to a method of dehydrating such materials by passing a gaseous moisture carrier in contact with said materials and a solid non-deliquescing dehydrating agent.

The primary object of this invention is to make a dried or dehydrated food product, which upon hydration with water will resume shape, color, and flavor.

The present invention also has for an object the provision of a dehydrating process which does not removethe volatile flavor elements from the food product.

A third object of importance is to eifect the dehydration of a food product at a fixed temits original dehydrating/ peratureduring the entire drying period and in which the heat evaporated by the atmosphere of moisture from the food product by the dehydrating agent is the'same as the heat required for evaporating water from the food product! An object of this invention is to provide a method of dehydrating vegetable and other moisture-containing material by passing a aseous moisture carrier in contact with said material and in contact with .a solid nondeliquescing dehydrating agent.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method of dehydrating vegetable and other moisture-containing material by passing'a gaseous moisture carrier in contact with the material and in contact with an adsorbent oxide gel.

, Still another object of this invention is to provide a method of dehydrating. vegetable and other moisture-containing material by passing a gaseous moisture carrier in contact with the 'material and in contact with silica gel. A further object of this invention is to provide a method ofdehydrating vegetable and other moisture-containing material by passing the same anda solid nondeliquescing dehydrating ture'carrier is circulated in contact with the material and the dehydrating agent,

A still further obiect of this invention is to provides. method of dehydrating vegetable and other moisture-containing material by passing.

the material to be dehydrated and a solid nondeliquescing dehydrating agent countercurrently through a'dehydrating. zoneand circulating a aseous moisture-camel" through said zone in contactwith the material and the dehydrating of said dehydrating zones.

moisture-containing material by passing a solid nondeliquescing dehydrating agent through 'a series of dehydrating zones and through a reactivating zone, passing a material to be dehydrated through said dehydrating zone countercurrently to the dehydrat g agent so that moisture-containing mate will be first passed through a ne containing spent dehydrating agent and the partially dehydrated material will be passed through a zone in which freshly reactivated dehydrating agent is present, and circulating a gaseousmoisture carrier through each It is a further object of this invention to introduce into the gaseous moisture carrier used for carrying moisture from the material 'to the dehydrating agent small quantities of treating gases for favorably affecting the color and flavor of the material to be dehydrated.

' With these and other objects in view, the present invention resides inthe steps and procedures hereinafter set forth andillustrated in the figures of the accompanying drawings.

In the. drawings: I Figure 1 is an elevational view partly in section of an apparatus for effecting dehydration Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a somewhat diagrammatical plan view of another form of apparatus for carrying out another phase of the presentinvention.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken on line H of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken I on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

' agent through a zone in which a gaseous vmois- Figure 6 is a fragmentary'perspedtive view ofthe carriers for the material to be dehydrated and for the dehydrating agent. J A

In accordance with the prose t invention vegetableand other moisture-cont material such 'as peas, beans, carrots and other food products are "dehydrated by maintaining the same in close proximity toand/or by circulating a gaseous moisture carrier in contact with said materials and in contact with adehydrating agent. A number of the most commonly used "dehydrating agents deliquesce upon taking up moisture and are found to b unsuitable for the dehydration or food products. A dehydrating agent suitable for operation with the present in-v ven'tion must be a solid which is nondeliquescentl Another point of consideration-is that in the de-' hydration offoods, quite often the bouquet or flavoring material of the food is taken up along with moisture in the dehydration thereof. In

this connection it has been found that silica, gel

' invention.

One method of carrying out the present in vention is to maintain the material to be dehydrated in close proximity with a dehydrating agent. For this purpose, trays of the material to be dehydrated and the dehydrating agent may be maintained adjacent each other so that the moisture from the material may pass through the gaseous medium, contacting the material and the dehydrating agent, to the dehydrating agent. 1

It has been found that an apparatus such as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings is useful for efiectively dehydrating moisture-containing materials in accordance with the principles of the present invention. As illustrated in this figure, a closed chamber l is provided having a plurality of racks or supporting brackets 2 on which are detachably located a plurality of trays or baskets 3 of woven, foraminous, or other open type construction. These baskets serve for maintaining the material to be dehydrated within the chamber l. g

Alternating with the trays or baskets 3 area plurality of trays r baskets l in which the dehydrating agent is supported. These baskets may have imperforate side walls and may be provided with screen or other foraminous type of bottom 5 so that a gas may be circulated upwardly through the bottom and in contact with the dehydrating agent supported thereon.

The baskets Q are supported on a wall 6 of the chamber l which is removable from said chamber and is independently mounted upon a carriage l which in turn is supported upon casters 8. This construction enables the carriage 'l' and wall' 6 to be dehydrated serves to transfer the moisture from the material to the dehydrating agent.

While the dehydration of material in an apparatus such as shown in Figures 1 and 2 is substantially continuous, nevertheless, when the material is dried, it must be removed from the apparatus, and during this operation and until after the baskets or trays 3 have been refilled with fresh material to be dehydrated, the apparatus is out of operation.

It is within the concept of the present invention to rovide a, continuous method of eifectively dehydrating the material so that there is no period in which the apparatus is out of use. A method of dehydrating the material may be carried out in an apparatus such as shown in Figures 3 to 6 of the drawings. As illustrated in these figures such an apparatus comprises an an nular tunnel l3 through which a material to be dehydrated and a dehydrating agent are moved.

In order to move the material to be dehydrated and the dehydrating agent through saidtunnel, carrier racks l4 and I5 are provided. These racks are in the form of annular rotatably mounted carriers. As illustrated, the rack M comprises an inner annular angle member it which is con nected by a plurality of radially extending angle irons H with an outer annular angle member E8.

carried thereby and on which the baskets 4 are mounted to be removed from the chamber 1 and rolled or otherwise transported to a reactivating zone in which the dehydrating agent in the baskets 4 is reactivated; During the reactivation of the material in the baskets 4 a similar carriage containing freshly reactivated dehydrating agent may be associated with the chamber- I so that the dehydration of the moisture containing material will be substantially continuous.

As shown in Figure 1 a blower-or circulating fan 9 driven by a motor H3 is provided for cir-' culating the -air or other gas upwardly in alterhate contact with the dehydrating agent and the material to be dehydrated. The blower or fan 9 is provided with an inlet duct 1 l which communicates through an opening in the top [2 of the chamber l with the interior thereof so that as the gaseous moisture carrier reaches the upper portion of the chamberQit is withdrawn by the blower 9 and reintroduced into the lower portion of the chamber. This continuous circulation of gaseous moisture carrier in alternate contact with the dehydrating agent and the material The composite rack M is supported upon a plurality of rollers i9 mounted on spindles or stub shafts carried by the inner and outer annular walls of the tunnel l3. 1h addition, the inner wall of the tunnel is provided with a plurality of rollers 20 which are rotatably mounted on vertically extending shafts for spacingthe racks it within the tunnel l3.

For efiecting rotation of the rack within the tunnel, a driver such as an electric motor 25 is supported and has its shaft extending through the inner wall of the tunnel is. On the shaft of the motor is mounted a drive wheel 22 which frictionally engages the inner annular angle member iii of rack 14 to' cause said rack to be moved. Inplace of the friction drive, angle member it may be provided with rack teeth which mesh with a gear mounted on the shaft of the motor 2i instead of the friction wheel 22.

The rack |5is constructed similarly to rack Hi in that itis provided with inner and outer annular angle members 23 and 26 respectively which are connected by radially extending angle irons -25. The rack 15 is supported upon rollers 26 corresponding to the rollers 19 and is centered relatively to the tunnel l3 by means of the rollers 27 mounted on the vertical shafts which are supported by the inner wall of the tunnel l3. The lower rack 15 may be driven by a motor 28 the shaft ofwhich carries a friction driven wheel 29 engaging the inner annular angle member 23. As in the case of the drivefrom motor 2| a gear and rack or other type of connection between the shaft of the motor and the annular angle member 23 may replace the friction drive.

As more clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawings, the upper rack I4 has mounted thereon a plurality of trays 30 which are adapted to be removed. therefrom and replaced by other trays during the course of theprocess. Trays 30 may be provided with imperforate side walls and with perforated or screen like bottom walls 3i on which the vegetable or other material to be dehydrated is supported.

silica gel or other dehydrating agent.

As shown in Figure 4,it will be noted that the outer annular angle member ill of rack it is turned downwardly so as to permit the easy re- --moval and replacement of trays 30 on said rack.

moisture carrier through the material to be de hydrated and the dehydrating agent as saidmaterial and dehydrating agent are moved through the wall a plurality of dehydrating zones 34 are spaced circumferentially of the tunnel and means are provided for creating separate circulations of the gaseous moisturecarrier through each of said zones.

For this purpose, blowers 35 are provided which are driven by motors or other sources of power 2,376,095 Y like bottom walls as on which is supported the with the portion or the tunnel l3 constituting the reactivation zone. drating agent and removing the moisture therefrom, the air which was introduced by means of the blower 4| may be discharged into the atmos- Phere or dried and recirculated.

In operation of the process of the present invention in an apparatus such as illustratedin Figure 3, trays of vegetable or other'material to be dehydrated are introduced into the tunnel on the rack It at a position immediately adjacent the reactivation zone. The rack It with the trays of vgetable or other materials thereon moves L clockwise as indicated by the arrow in Figure 3.

Simultaneously with the travel of the vegetable or other material in the trays 30 on rack H, the

, trays 32 containing silica gel or other dehydrating 36. Each of the blowers 35 is provided with an inlet duct 31 which connects near the bottom of the tunnel as illustrated in Figure 4 of the drawings. The discharge of the blower 35 is connected by a duct 38 with the upper portion of the tunnel l3. V

Each of the zones 33 is'separated from adjacent zones by upper and lower partitions or bailies 39 and 40 respectively. In this cometion, it will be noted from Figures 4 and 5 that the racks l4 and ii are closely spaced and that the upper baffle 39 extends downwardly from the roof of the tunnel l3 to a point just sum- ,cient to clear the tops of the trays 30. The lower baiiie 40 extends upwardly from the bottom of the tunnel lit to a region just below the bottom oi the lower rack l5. -With this construction, the circulation of the gaseous moisture carrier through each of the zones 34 will be practically independent of the circulation through adjacent zones. While there may be a slight spill over from ously afiect the operation of the apparatus. Re-

-- ferring' to Figures 3 and 5', it will be observed that the ducts 31 and 38 connecting the intake and discharge of the blower 35 with-the tunnel i3 flare outwardly from the blower so as to equally drawings, the reactivation takes place in the reactivating zone which comprises a portionof the'length'of the tunnel i3 and is separated from 3 the dehydrating'zones by partitions 33 and 40 f in'substantially the same. manner as the adjacent one zone to another, this is not sufllcient to seri agent are moved in a counter-clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow in Figure 3. The trays containing the silica gel or other dehydrating agent need not be removed from the rack I5 carrying the same as they are passed through the reactivation zone.

After the trays containing the material to be dehydrated have passed through the .tunnel it from one side of the reactivation zone to the other in a direction .counter' to the travel of the dehydrating agent, said trays are removed as indicated.

By moving the vegetable or other material to be dehydrated through the tunnel it in a direction countercurrent to that of the dehydrating agent, the fresh material is first subjected to silica jel or other dehydrating agent which has taken up a considerable amount of moisture. As the material to be dehydrated progresses through the tunnel l3, it will successively be moved into a position adjacent a portion of the dehydrating agent which contains less and less moisture.

Just before the material to bedehydrated is removed from the tunnel, it is brought into close proximity to dehydrating agent which has been freshly reactivated, that is, just as it leaves the reactivation zone. As a result of this procedure,

highly efiicient dehydration of the .vegetable or other material is effected.

other material to be dehydrated may be moved at substantially the same speed or at diiierent speeds. For instance, the adsorption and activation cycle for the silica or other'dehydrating agent may be one houn'whereas the drying cycle for the vegetable orother material to be dehy; drated may be five or six hours. By a diiferential speed of travel of the material to b dehydrated and the dehydrating agent through the tunnel l3, an eflect is obtained which is equivalent to that of maintaining a large quantity of gel or other dehydrating agent in close proximity to a smaller quantity of vegetable or other mate- T rial to be'dehydrated. The gas'to be'used as the dehydrating zones are separated. In the reactivation zone, hot, dry gases, such as combustion hydrating zones. For this purpose, a blower ll is: provided for forcing a flow of air through a heater, 42 in which the air i iheated by a burner 31;. The exhaust orflue gases may be discharged through a stacl; 44 and the heated air iorced into the distributing conduit 45 which communicates moisture carrier Which'is circulated in contact with the dehydrating agentand the-materialto be dehydrated will depend upon the particular type of material to be dehydrated. lAil' is'a' gas which is'suitable for this purpose in m instances. In other cases-Hair mixed with carbon dioxide will be found advantageous.- In other specific instances, it may be found advisable to employ nitrogen, carbon dioxide, or other inert gases. In some instanceslit' may be found advisable' toadd to the moisture carrying gas a treatinggas for modifying the condition of'material undergoing dehydration; In this connec- Aiter contacting the dehy-' tion ethylene or other organic compounds may be employed which will favorably affect the'color or flavor of the material being dehydrated. The organic treating gases would be non=absorbed by the silica gel because of the preferential adsorbing characteristic of silica gel for water vapor. The temperature of the gaseous moisture carrier which is circulated in contact with the dehydrating agent and the material to be dehydrated will vary depending upon the material be n treated, and will depend upon conditions of operation as well. By arranging the trays of material to be dehydrated in close proximity to the Achydrating agent, the drying may he efiected without any increase or decrease in temperature. This is due to the fact that heat of adsorption of water vapor in the gel is approximately the same as the heat of vaporization required. to remove moisture irom the material to be dehydrated. This enables the drying to be carried out under substantially isothermal conditions at any predetermined temperature without any temperature rise or fall.

The pressure of the gaseous,moisture.carrier may vary from a sub-atmospheric pressure of 2 to 5 mm. Hg. to atmospheric pressure. In many installations, atmospheric pressure will be preferable because of the simplicity of the apparatus and the ease of control. z

While in Figures 3 to 6 of the drawings only two racks II and I5 have been shown, one for the material to be dehydrated, and. the other for the dehydrating agent, it is within theconcept of the present invention to employ a plurality of such racks. In this instance, the racks carrying I the trays containing the dehydrating agent would alternate with the racks carrying the trays containlng the'material to be dehydrated.

. One 'ofthe outstanding advantages of the present invention is that the dehydrated food as, in other drying processes, these volatile com- I mins, tastes, and flavors.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the present invention provides an improved process of dehydrating vegetable and other moisture-containing material by means oi silica gel or other dehydrating agents having characteristics similar thereto.

While,,in the foreging description, reference has been made to particular materials, procedural' steps, apparatus, and conditions, it should be understood that. the invention is not specifically limited thereto 'but may be varied product'obtained' according to the present invention, upon hydrationwith water, will resume the original shape, color, and iiavor. This is of considerable importance, because the palatability of the product dehydrated in accordance with the present invention is much superior to that dehydrated with material which would detrimentally affect the shape, color, or flavor. Furthermore, the dehydrating agent used in carryin out the present invention will take up water butwill not take up the volatile flavoring substances of the iood product. By reason of the closed circuit system inconjunction with the particular dehydrating agent employed, there is no escape of the volatile flavor elements, whereto include equivalent materials, steps, and apparatus.

I claim: r

A method of dehydrating ve etable and other moisture-containing material without removing volatile flavoring substances therefrom comprising moving silica gel in an endless path through a plurality of serially positioned dehydrating zones and an activating zone, moving material to be dehydrated along a' path similar to and in close proximity to said path through said dehydrating zones, countercun'ently to the movement of the silica gel, circulating a stream of a gaseous moisture carrier through each of said dehydrating zones in a direction transversely to the directionsof movement of the material and silica gel alternately in contact with the silica gel and the material to be dehydrated to transfer moisture from the material to the silica gel, passing a hot dry gas through the reactivating zone in a direction transversely to that of the movement of the silica gel therethrough to reactivate the silica gel, said material to be dehydrated bein introduced into the path at a region between the last dehydrating zone through which the silica gel has passed and the activating zone so that the material will first be brought into proximity with silica gel justprior to activation of said gel, and said material being removed from said path after having passed in close proximity to freshly activated silica gel through the dehydrating zone into which the silica gel is first passed after activation.

. MARK SHOELD. 

